Dinos - add or remove nutrients? Need a game plan.

[Murraydar]

I'm currently fighting a dino infestation. I know most of the tricks to fighting it. Here's what im doing so far:

-Blackout
-Raising PH through Kalk
-Siphon out all visible dinos
-H2o2 dosing
-Wet skim
-Running GAC

I've been keeping my nutrients down with a turf scrubber. It's got the lights off at the moment to reduce dino growth on the screen.

From what Ive read in the other posts on this forum Dinos often arise from nutrients being bottomed out. Lots of people get them when they hit zero phosphates or nitrates. In my case I believe I was bottomed out on phosphates for a bit (was carbon dosing pretty hard before I setup my turf scrubber).

Now here's the question. To further get rid of the dinos, should I attempt to starve them out with phosphate removers (GFO) or should I actually be dosing phoshpates to remove the nutrient imbalance? From what I've read the "dirty method" involves adding nutrients back into the system in the hopes that other algaes / microfauna will outcompete the dino. Is there truth to this? Would h2o2 dosing counteract this? Should I keep the lights out the whole time?

Any input would be appreciated. Thanks.

 

[mcarroll]

Did you check out the dino sticky yet? It's all pretty much in there.

I can help with the list in the mean time though:
-Blackout
-Raising PH through Kalk
-Siphon out all visible dinos
-H2o2 dosing
-Wet skim
-Running GAC

Skimming wet is good in general, so not specific to your condition.

Siphoning and GAC are both good for removing dino cells – both dead and alive – and their toxins. Both have a significant impact on your system.

But before you forge ahead any further I'd recommend reading at least the first post of the dino thread mentioned and give your system AND your dino's an assessment with that post in mind. Post any questions that come up here or there!!!

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

In cases where the n/p have bottomed out , yes, adding nutints is there to feed competing organisims.
In some cases n/p do not appear to have bottomed out, manual removal (mech peroxide etc) along with ph have been proven the best course.

A small amount of gfo may help provide some relief, but not for the Po4 component , but to pull some of the organics and compounds that may be feeding it or may be produced by it.